Improvement in machines for cutting chair-splints



. UNITEDV STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS N. DAVEY, OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO IIIMSELF AND THOMAS DAVEY, SR., OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR CUTTING CHAIR-SPLINTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,790, dated January 3, 1865.

To all whomt't may concern:

Be it known that I, THonAs N. DAVEY, of Jeffersonville,in the county of Olark and State ot'lndiana, have invented anew and useful AMachine for Cutting Splints for Chair-Bot toms and for Similar Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l, Sheet No. 1, is a side sectional view of my invention, taken on the line @o a', Fig. 2, Sheet No. 2. Fig. 2, Sheet No. 2, is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detached plan of the sliding bed pertaining to the same; Fig. 4, a vertical section of a portion of the same, taken in the line z z, Fig. 2 5 Fig. 5, a detached view of the dividing-knife; Fig. 6, a side view ot a portion of the machine.

Similar letters oil reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a new and useful machine for cutting splints for chair-bottoms and for similar purposes.

The object of the invention is to supersede the slow and laborious process of manufacturing splints by hand by producing a superior article in an expeditious manner.

The main frame A of the machine is composed of two parallel bars, ay a, connected by cross-pieces b, and. supported at a suitable height by legs c. The upper surface of the bars a a are grooved longitudinally in V form to receive the sides d d of a slidingbed, B, the lower parts ot' the sides d el being made in V form to t into the grooves ofthe bars a a. (See Fig. 2.)

The bed B is moved back and forth by means of an endless belt, C, which works around pulleys D D, the axes c of which are fitted in brackets fj", attached to the inner side of the framing. This endless belt has an upright pin or-stud, g, attached to it, which is fitted and works in an oblong slot, It, made in a bar, E, attached transversely to the under side of the bed B. (See Figs. l and 2.) This arrangement, it will be seen, admits of the reciprocating movement of the bed B, as the pin or stud g is allowed to pass around the pulleys D D and act upon the bed at either side of the machine while moving in either direction. The endless belt C may be tightened, whenever desired, b v adjusting the bracket j", the bolts i of which pass through an oblong slot, j, in the frame A of the machine for that purpose, the bracket f being moved or adj usted by a screw, F. (Shown in Fig. l.) The pin or stud g is secured to the endless belt O by a knuckle-joint, lr, and the belt-pulleys Gr are operated by the bevel-gears l and pulleys 'm m' on the driving-shaft H. (See more particularly Fig. 2.) 1

I I are two uprights, fastened one at each side of the frame A, and having upright slots nin them, eXtendin g nearly their whole height, to receive the ends of a beam, J, which eX- tends transversely over the bed B, and has two blocks, K K, attached to it-one at each side-in such a manner that said blocks may slide freely, as will be fully understood by referrin g to Fig. 4, and be capable of being secured at any desired point by set screws o. On these blocks K K there are vertical gibslides p p, between which sliding blocks L are fitted, the latter having bars or stocks M attached to them by a hinge, q. These bars or stocks M have knives N N attached to their lower ends, and in consequence of havin g the bars or stocks M attached to the blocks L by hinges q the former are allowed to swing up and down when the knives are not down to their work. Above and bearing down on the blocks L are springs r, which keep the knives pressed down to their work whlethey are following the grain of the wood.

The knives N N are of peculiar construction. The knives N are attached to the bottom of the bars or stocks M by screws s, while the knives N', (see Fig. 5,) which perform the slitting and are provided with spurs a2, are immediately above and in front of the knives N. The knives N have guard-plates O fastened on them by screws t, and the two knives N N' enter the wood or stick simultaneously, cutting and splitting the stuit' tothe proper width, and also trimming the edges. By taking oft the guard-plates O and substituting knives N', with a greater or less number ot' spurs, splints of different widths may be cut. The guard-plate and splitting-knives form the guide to keep the cutting-knife N to the proper depth, and they are readily adjusted by slacking or loosening the screws t. (See Fig. 4.)

On the top of the uprights I I are feed-pinions c r, which are keyed on screws P P, the latter working in internal screw-threads in the ends of the beam J. Into the pinions e c corresponding` pinions, tv u', gear, the latter being on a horizontal shaft, Q, on which a rock-shaft, R, is fitted, having a pawl, a', attached to it, -and also a rod, S, the lower end of which is connected to a bent arm, b', pivoted to one ofthe uprights I. (See Fig. l.)

On the bed-plate B there are tted dogs c c c c, by which the sticks or timber to be operated upon are secured to the bed. The ends of the dogs c are xed as well as the dogs c', but the dogs c are loose, while the dogs cf" are adjustable and moved by screws df, (see Fig. 3,) and by actuating or moving the dogs 0 the sticks (shown in red in Figs. l, 2, and 3) will be rmly clamped to the bed.

In order t0 guard against the knives coming in contact with the dogs c c c" 0', there is a stop-motion employed, which consists of a rod, e, rock-arm f', guard-rod g', and guide h. (See Fig. 6.) By this means the beam J, when the knives are as low as they can be without coming in contactwith the dogs, actuates or presses down the rod e', which, through the medium ofthe rock-arm j',acl1ates the guard-rod g', and causes the latter to throw the belt oft' from the working-pulley m to the idle-pulley m.

The wood or sticks from which the splints are cut are iirst rived out of the proper dimensions and secured by the dogs on the bed B. 'Ihe shai't Q is then turned to bring the knives N I down in proper position to act upon the sticks, and the driving-belt is thrown upon the working-pulley m. A reciprocating movement is then imparted to the bed B by the endless belt, pin, and gearing previously described, and the wood,or one stick, comes in contact with the guard plate 0 of one cutter-bar or stock M, raising the latter and the block L against the spring r. The wood or stick passes under the knives N N and the splints pass between them and under pressure-rollers s. At the end ot' every alternate stroke of the bed B aprojection, ax,

at one side of the bed B, strikes the bent arm b', raising the rod S and actuating the rockarm B, causing the pawl a to act upon a ratchet, bx, on shaft Q, and the latter, through the medium ot' the gears c w, turning the screws P, which move the beam J downward and set the knives N N in a proper relative position with their work. While one pair of knives is at work the other pair swings up out of the way until the end of the cut, at which time they drop, and the motion of the bed changes, when they resume their work. The machine thus operates until the sticks are cut down as far as possible withoutletting the knives come in contact with the dogs, when the driving-belt is thrown on the idlepulley m', as previously explained, and the beam J and knives moved upward by turning the shaft Q. The remains ot' the old sticks are then taken from the bed R and others adjusted thereto and the operation repeated.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The reciprocating bed B, provided with the dogs c c c c, in combination with the endless belt C, with pin or stud g attached, and the slotted bar E at the under side ofthe bed, in which the pin or stud works, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The beam J, with adjustable blocks K K attached, the latter provided with the vertical sliding blocks L, having cutter bar or stocks M secured to them by hinges q, when said parts are used in connection with a reciprocating bed, B, as and for the purpose specied.

3. The means employed for automatically feeding the beam J downward-to wit, the bent arm b', rod S, rock-arm B, pawl c, and ratchet be', in connection with the projection ax on the bed B, all arranged substantially as set forth.

4. The knives N N', attached to the bars or stocks M, in connection with the guard-plates O, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

THOMAS N. DAVEY.

Witnesses:

THOMAS DAvEY, Jos. STEALEY. 

